Running
by CrashBagPhoto
Summary: Warning: rated T because it may be triggering. its a little depressing. Made a friend cry. But other than that, its Valdangelo/Ghost Fire/ Lico/whatever fluff and sweetness. Its got an actual plot. Labeled complete for a reason. sucky summary is sucky, I apologize.


**I decided Nico is always the one being angsty and in pain and sad, so I made it Leo's turn! Yay! If you guys want, I will add a second chapter, but only if you ask for it! So, yea, R&R, enjoy, embrace the new world order, try not to cry, die of feels, murder me in my sleep for doing this to Leo, take your pick. This is my first fan fic, so please be nice. Also, this was written on my phone, so if there is grammatical errors or anything, please tell me. Thanks! Enjoy my pretties!**

**PS. I like to write my romances with an actual _plot_. yes I know, its a foreign concept in this realm of fan fiction, but I do. So, I'm sorry if you dislike that, but if you ask nicely, I may write something that is a pure fluff fest. But I'll need cherries on top. And I know I'm writing this as though anyone will actually read and review or even enjoy this, so you know what?! A girl can dream. Anywho...**

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**Song: Comatose by Skrillet **

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**Leo**

Leo lay in his bed, staring at the wall as sleep forever eluded him. It wasn't his bed in the Hephaestus cabin. No, he hadn't slept there for months. Not since Nico Di Angelo had left camp.

When the boy had disappeared, with good byes only for his sister, Leo had decided humans were too much work. So he stayed in Bunker 9, day in and day out. Humans just broke your heart. Always.

Though it's not Nico's fault, Leo scolded himself. He never knew. They weren't ever that close. Sure they had moments, like that time Leo had found Nico in the hallway of the Argo II, sobbing. And that other time, when he'd been staring wistfully into the depths of the ocean rushing below. Oh, and that time when Leo had rushed into the stables where Nico had been staying at the time on the ship, because the Italian was screaming in his sleep.

Leo smiled at the memory. Nico had been having a nightmare, and Leo was the only one who heard his cries, as he'd been awoken by Festus to fix a screw or something. He'd woken up Nico and just held him, promising over and over that the boy would never, ever have to go back to Tartarus. At least not alone. Yea. That was a good memory. That screw never got fixed.

But the next day, Nico had left. And it'd been months. They'd returned to camp, and oh how Leo hoped the boy would be there. But he wasn't. Of course he wasn't, Leo scoffed. Why would he stay? For you? Ha.

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**Nico**

He couldn't do it. Three months. Three months that felt like years, filled no longer with sea green eyes, but with warm brown ones. Strong confident smiles were now replaced by a devilish one etched onto an elven face. Absent arms were now filled by the warm embrace of a caring soul.

He smiled, remembering that moment, in the darkness of the stables, lit only by the starlight reflecting of the water below that pierced through the glass bay doors, and the flames of a certain fire boy. That was when Nico forgot about Percy and his bright eyes. That moment, hearing a soft voice whisper gently to him that it would be alright, that he would stay, as Nico clung like a child to the repair boy, to Leo.

And in the end, it was Nico who left. And he couldn't take it any more.

Shadow traveling out of the dark bleakness of the Underworld, his home, the only place he felt he could belong, he popped up at the place he'd been dreaming of for weeks on end. Leo was there, as expected, only he did not look how Nico anticipated, how he'd fantasized Nico had expected the boy to grow an inch or two, for his hair to grow out even more and for that adorable little streak of grease to be smudged over his nose. Those things were true, but wrong at the same time. His hair was matted and greasy, his skin so smeared and dirty it appeared black in the dim light of the bunker. Leo's face was drawn and tired, the skin beneath his eyes bruised and dark. He'd lost weight, and a lot of it. Nico doubted he'd eaten in the months he'd been gone.

"Oh my poor ercolino," he whispered, moving to kneel besides the boy, who was asleep at his work bench, head cradled in the crook of his elbows. Biting back tears, Nico picked him up as gently as he could, carrying him to the small cot in the corner. He was featherlight. What caused him to look like this? Was it... Was it him? Nico shook his head hard, scattering dangerous thoughts like those. Nico stood, turning with a sad look on his face, when a hand shot out and grabbed the edge of his jacket. It was Leo.

"Don't go. Not again," the broken boy sobbed, tears cutting through the grime on his face.

"Don't worry. I'm just getting some food, and a washcloth and water."

"Why?" Leo asked, genuinely confused as to why they were needed.

"Because you look starved, and you need a bath. I can clean you up enough for you to be able to sleep comfortably," Nico smiled sadly, stroking the hair back from Leo's face. "I'll be back in five minutes. Promise." Hesitantly, Leo nodded, though clearly unhappy. Hurriedly, Nico got the items, sitting beside the boy, who was sitting up, looking lost.

"Three minutes. Told you," Nico smiled, taking the boys hand in his as he checked an invisible watch. Leo's smile didn't show. Sighing, Nico turned Leo around as he pulled off his shirt. The boy didn't protest. Sadness swelled within Nico's heart as he counted the vertebrae in Leo's back, his ribs rutting out. Nico was used to seeing that when he looked in a mirror, but Leo... Not him too... Why him?

Nico began to clean Leo's back with the warm cloth, making sure it never dripped or was to hot. He handled Leo like he was a fragile doll, something to be protected and cherished. As Nico gave Leo a sponge bath, Leo slowly nibbled on the edges of the loaf of bread brought with the water and cloth.

"Why'd you leave?" Leo asked suddenly, breaking the silence. He turned to face Nico, tears pouring down his cheeks. "Why?!" He screamed, lashing out with his fist as he yelled over and over, his cries echoing in the empty walls.

"Why?"

Nico let him wear himself out, only wrapping his arms around the broken boy when he collapsed against the child if Hades' chest. His cheeks were dry now, silent gasps escaping from between cracked lips.

"I was running, mi amore, from my feelings, and from you. But don't worry. I'm not running anymore."

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**Didja like it? Didja? Didja? Sorry, I couldn't resist putting that in there. Anyways, for the Italian in there, "ercolino" means little Hercules, and if you don't know what mi amore is, then you might need a reality check. It means my love. as said previously in my irritatingly long intro, ask for more, and feel free to send me requests or prompts. I'd greatly appreciate them. Thanks!**


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